Major Crash Mars Daytona Test

Not drafting? Good call!

Drivers have been hesitant to draft in large packs during this week’s Preseason Thunder test at Daytona International Speedway, and now we know why. 

A massive crash, triggered when Marcos Ambrose and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. tangled on the Daytona Superstretch damaged a dozen cars, including those of defending series champion Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray, CArl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, Regan Smith, Aric Almirola and Joey Logano.  

“I thought Marcos was backing up to me,” said Earnhardt of the crash. “I got off (Turn) Two trying to push him a little and had a hard time getting our bumpers lined up. It was the first time I pushed a Ford (and) we ended up getting turned.”

“I got a couple of shots from (Earnhardt) down the backstretch,” confirmed Ambrose. “The third shot spun me out.” He said new front and rear-bumper configurations on the new Gen-6 car also played a role in the incident, adding, It’s the consequences of the new shape. It was very easy to bump-draft with the old cars. We’re used to that.”

While testing is scheduled to continue tomorrow, virtually all the involved teams – and a number of those who were not, including five-time series champion Jimmie Johnson – have elected to end their session a day early. Johnson had previously said he would not take part in multi-car drafting during the test, and was a half-track behind today when the crash occurred. 

Earlier, Dave Blaney earned the dubious distinction of being the first driver to crash the new, Gen-6 car, bouncing his Tommy Baldwin Racing/Golden Corral Chevrolet off the Turn Two wall in a single-car incident that damaged the machine’s right-front fender.